Electric meter.



PATBNTED MAR. 19, 1907;

raw/6 55.57

0. W. ATKINSON. ELECTRIC METER. APPLIOATIPN FILED DEC 29 1904 m MAM cm,wAsmplcroN. n. c:v

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIIC METER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1907.

Application file d December 29, 1904. Serial No. 238,865-

i0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE WILLIAM AT- KINSON, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain and Ireland, residing at Beckenham, county of Kent,England, have invented new and useful Improvements in and Re lating toElectric Meters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric meters of the type in which theoperation is effected by electrolytic action, and has for its object theprovision of means whereby the recording function of the meter iscontinuous in its effect and errors due to friction and other causes arevery small, with a consequent high efficiency as to recording capacity.

In order that the invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same in relation to the accompanyng drawings,reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon.

Like letters refer to like parts in the various figures.

Figure 1 is a part sectional view of the electrolytic cell forming themeasuring element of the device with the electrical circuitsdiagrammatically shown in relation to the switching mechanism. Fig. 2 isa detail view of the relay and the integrating and switching mechanismoperated thereby.

To carry the invention into effect, I form an electrolytic cell a with awell-receptacle I), closed with a cover 0. This well-receptacle I) issmaller in diameter than the cell a and is arranged so that an annularchamber cl is formed. Within the well-receptacle b, I

r'ovide a hydrometer-float made up of two liodies e and], lighter thanthe fluid in which they float, and a balance-weight h, heavier than. thefluid, and I construct those two bodies of different materials. I makethe body e hollow, of copper or some material having a coeflicient ofexpansion with temperature much smaller than that of the fluid, while Imake the body f of bees wax or some material having a coeflicient ofexpansion much larger than that of the fluid. 1 so proortion therelative volumes of these two hodiesthat the total expansion of thesebodies and the balance-weight his equal to the total expansion of thefluid which they displace. The float e has a stem g, which passes upthrough the cover a. The lower end of the stem 9 carries abalance-weight h, which can act as a foot to rest upon the bottom of thereceptacle 1) to prevent injury to the instrument during transit. Uponthe up er end of the stem g, I support a movable e ectrode j, which isof circular formation and is submerged in that portion of theelectrolyte contained in the annular chamber (1.

The fixed electrode 7c is arranged on the walls of the annular chamber01, so as to be in juxtaposition to the movable electrode j.

The level of the electrolyte is such as to be above the orifice in thecover a, through which the stem g passes, so that although theelectrolyte in the well-receptacle b and the annular chamber d are incommunication with one another the circulation of the electrolyte fromone to the other is prevented, and thus errors due to the variation ofthe density of the electrolyte from electrolytic action are avoided, asthe float e is supported constantly in the body of liquid the density pof which is only varied by its temperature.

The movable electrode carries a stem 1, having at its upper end aflexible contactpiece m, which at the upper and lower positions of thefloat (2 makes contact, respectively, with the terminals n 0. connectedby the light flexible connecter p to the terminal q, and the terminal 1is connected to the metal case and cell a and is thus in connection withthe fixed electrode 70.

In order to prevent the damage of the moving elements during transit andthe admission of the electrolyte into the upper portion of the cellwhere the electrical circuits are situated, I provide jointing-washer ofcork or other material 8 on the upper end of the stem, which is adaptedto contact with an inner cover if, having a tubular central extensionand a circumferential groove holding a turn of greased packing u. Thecover 12 of the cell a hermetically closes the latter and is providedwith a screw w, which can be screwed down so as to contact with the stem1 and force the float e downward until the balance-weight h rests on thebottom of the well-receptacle l), and at the same time the washer 8forms a joint on the cover t. Not only are the moving parts thus keptfrom damage by shock, but the cell can be inverted without any of theelectrolyte getting into the chamber where the electrical contacts aresituated.

In Fig. 2 I show an electromagnetic relay 90, which through its armature11; and detentrod 00 coacts with a ratchet-wheel m in the train ofwheels of the integrating mechanism. This wheel 00 is geared to a diskas, carrying The stem Z is also IEO a pin 00 Which pin engages with afork y, carried by the switch device, having three switches y, if, andif rotatable on a common axis y. The fork y carries an arm y, coactingwith a ridge-shaped spring y, so arranged that on the rotation of theWheel ac the pin in moving the fork past the central position, which isone of unstable equilibrium, the spring 3 acting on the arm if forcesthe fork to its other extreme position. The switches y, f, and if eachconsist of hermeticallysealed tubes partially filled with mercury andhaving contacts at each end and in the center 2, 2, .2 2 .2 2 2, a and2*, respectively.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the circuit from the contact2 of the switch y passes round the coil of the relay 0c and is connectedto the negative main. The contact z is connected to the upper contact 0of the cell-sw itch, and the contact 2 is connected to the lower contactn of the cellswitch. The contact 2 of the switch 1 is connected to thepositive main as a part of a shunt-circuit. The contact 2' is connectedto the contact 2 of the sn itch 'f, and the contact 2 is connected tothe contact 2 of the same switch, forming cross connections. The contact2 of the switch 1 is connected to the positive main at the other side ofthe esistance 2, completing the shunt-circuit, while the contact 2 isconnected to the contact g on the cell and the contact r on the cell isconnected to the contact 23 of the switch g Assuming that the float c isin the lower position, the operation of the meter is as follows: Then agiven amount of current has been passed through the cell, the weight ofthe electrode has decreased, causing the float to rise until thecontact-arm m touches the contact 0, energizes therelay x, and operatesthe integrating mechanism a which in turn causes the switches y, if, andto rock on their axes, reversing the polarity of the cell and breakingthe circuit of the relay, ready for the next operation. The current nowpasses through the cell in the opposite direction, causing the float tosink until the flexible arm m touches the lower contact 21, againenergizing the relay operating the integrating mechanism to record afurther quantity of current passed and rocking the switches into thereverse position.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An electrolytic meter comprising a cell containing the electrolyteand one stationary electrode, a float carrying the other electrode, tWoelectrical contacts adapted to be closed by the float at its upper andlower positions, an electromagnetic relay adapted to be operated by acurrent controlled by the said contacts, and a reversingswitch adaptedvto reverse the polarity of the electrolytic cell in combination with anintegrating mechanism operated by the electromagnetic relay,substantially as described.

2. An electrolytic meter comprising a. cell containing the electrolyteand one stationary electrode, a float carrying the other electrode, twoelectrical contacts adapted to be closed by the float at its upper andlower posit ions an electromagnetic relay adapted to be operated by acurrent controlled by the said contacts, and a reversing-switch adaptedto reverse the polarity of the electrolytic cell, and provided withmechan' all means which are in a condition of unstable equilibrium atthe center position, adapted to open the relay-circuit in use and makecontact with the other relay-circuit ready for the next stroke of thefloat, in combination with an integrating mechanism operated by theelectromagnetic relay, substantially as described.

33. An electrolytic meter comprising a cell containing the electrolyt eand one. st ationary electrode, a float carrying t he other electrodeprovided with means to ctnnpensate tor the variation in the density ofthe electrolyte due to variation in temperature, two electrical contactsadapted to be closed by the float at its upper and lower positions, anelectromagnetic relay adapted to be operated by a current controlled bythe said contacts and a reversing-switch adapted to reverse the polarityof the electrolytic cell in combination with an integrating mechanismoperated by the electromagnetic relay, substantially as described.

4. In an. electrolytic meter, a cell containing the electrolyte providedwith two independont chambers in communicalion with one another at theupper part, one chamber containing a stationary electrode and the otherchamber containing a float adapted to carry the movable electrode withinthe chamber containing the stationary electrode in combinat ion withmeans lor reversing the polarity of the cell and with means for indicating the number of such. changes in polarity, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

(l ltlUDli WI LhLUl A'llilNSllN. Witnesses:

RICHARD A. IJZIOFFMANN, CHARLES CARTER.

